Trailer mounted cleaner



April 20, 1955 R. R. GIBSON ETAL 3,179,117

TRAILER MOUNTED CLEANER Filed March 2, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l i #W W FIGURE- n o e n u o n g R, Reben (Gibson und Charles M RohdG,1N\/ENTORS ATTORNEY April 20, 1965 R. R. GIBSON ETAL 3,179,117

TRAILER MOUNTED CLEANER Filed March 2, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 'In mln FHGURE 3) R. Rober Gibson ond @horles [Ml Rohdo,

I N VENTORS BY l ATTORNEY April 20, 1965 R. R. GIBSON ETAL TRAILER MOUNTED CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 2, 1964 |||||||||||||||I|x|v||||||||||lliclll OOO 000000000 0000000000 R. Rober Gibson und! (Charles IMI Rohde FFHGURE 5 INVENTORS ATTO/#NEX April 20, 1965 R. R. GlBsoN ETAL TRAILER MOUNTED CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 2, 1964 RA Rober Gibson und (Charles MlA Rohdc,

INVENTORS ATTORNEY well known in the trailer arts.

Side doors 25, 26 are provided opening into lthe forward chamber 12. These are hingeably mounted preferably by the piano type hinges 27, 28 vertically oriented as illustrated. These doors give access to the gas supply tank 29 and the control panel 30 as well as to the forwardly extending parts of the central chamber 13.

The central chamber 13 should have its floor at a level lower than that of the lowest point on the iioor of the washing chamber 14 to provid-e for drainage of Water into the Sump 31, or else if desired, the sump 31 may be allowed to project downwardly through and below the floor ofthe central chamber 13.

The rearward washing chamber 14 is enclosed on its forward side by the wall 32 to prevent the entry of water into the central chamber 13. Two downwardly open-ing ramp-doors 33, 34 are provided in the sides of the washing chamber 14 to provide ingress and egress thereto and therefrom. These doors 313, 34 are pivoted about the horizontal hinges 35, preferably of the piano type, and are provided 'with appropriate latches to keep them cl-oSed when desired. The doors 33, 34 are designed and adapted t-o be used as a ramp .to allow carts to be rolled on their wheels -into the Washing chamber 14 and therefrom as required.

An appropriately sized and positioned vent stack 37 is provided in the roof of the body above the central chamber 1'3 to vent the combustion products of the water heater. The necessary trailer accessories required by various vehicular authorities must, of course, be provided on the exterior surface of thetrailer body if it is to be used upon public roadways.

The forward trailer chamber 12 carries the compressed gas tank -29 and the cont-rol panel 30 adjacent the right door 2'5l for `easy access. With normal sizing of the Various structures there will be suflicient room left Within this chamber ifor lstorage of any other desired materials or tools.

The central chamber 13 carries in an internal central location the gas-tired waterheater 38 communicating through the roof of the body 10 to the vent stack 37. Immediately Iforward ofthe heater 38 in the central chamber 13 is the gas operated mot-or 39 communicating from its power tak-e olf 40 through the belt 41 to the speed reducing transmission 42. Power is taken from Ithe speed reducing transmission 42 by the belt 413 to operate the two pumps 44, 45 sharing the common axle 46. Water storage and supply tanks 47, 48 are provided in the upper side portion-s Kon each side of the central chamber 13 and these are :filled by means of the input pipe- 49 communicating therewith and carrying the ordinary female plumbing iixture adapted to mate with a garden hose fixture of ordinary commerce. An output pipe S1 for heated pressurized water is provided, .again with a male iixture 52 adapted to mate with the ordinary xture of a garden hose of commerce, to provide heated pressurized water for Washing of things which cannot or are not desired to be passed through the washing chamber 14. fIhe sump 31 is a vessel, adapted to contain a substantial amount of Water, positioned with its uppermost portion at the level of or below the oor drain of the Washing chamber 14, so that Water may tiow therefrom into the sump 31 under laction of gravity.

The oor 53 of the rearward Washing chamber 14 must of necessity be watertight to provide for return of water into .the circulatory system Without substantial loss. The (floor 53 is constructed with alternating ridges 54 and grooves 55 to provide a jostling effect on nested carts as they pass thereover through the washing chamber y14, so that all parts may .be washed. To best accomplish the purpose I prefer to yform the groove 55a on one -side of the primary tram 56 opposite the ridge 54b on the other side of the tram l56 to improve the jostling action as the carts pass thereover.

The primary cart tram 56 extends along the central portion of the floor 53 between the central portions of the doors 33, 34 and perpendicular to the longer dimension of the trailer body 10. This primary cart tram 56 consists of the low side `walls 57 on each side forming a trough therebetween. Stud shafts 5S are rotatably journaled near cach end in the side walls 57 and carry irrotatably the sprockets 59 adapted to enmesh with the endless link chain 60 to form a continuous driving circuit. The link chain 60 is driven by the driving sprocket 61 irrotatably carried upon the shaft 46, which in turn is driven by the motor 39. The ylink chain 6i) carries the upwardly project-ing lugs 63 adapted to just engage the :bottom port-ion of grocery carts, preferably at an axle, and carry them along theV cart tram 56.

At the forward end of the oor 53 there is a slightly raising ramp 64 designed to raise the Wheels of a cart being moved by the tram S6 suiciently so that the upwardly projecting engaging lug 63 of the tram lchain 60 will come out of engagement with the bottom of the cart and thus allow it to be freely vremoved from the exit ramp 34, usually by force of gravity.

A secondary tram 65 comprising the similar raised side Walls 66 forming a channel for the link chain 67 is positioned along the central portion of the entrance ramp 64, extending therealong from the primary tram 56 so as to communicate therewith. This link chain 67 is again carried by sprockets 68 engaged therewith journaled on studV shafts near the end portions of the side walls 66. The innermost sprocket 68a has its shaft extend into a pocket in the side wall 66 and carries thereon the nonrotatably mounted pinion 69 driven by the chain 70 from the similar pinions '71 on the shaft 62a of the primary tram 56. Thusly, with Ithis arrangement, when the primary tram chain 60. is driven it will in turn drive the secondary tram chain 67. This chain 67 carries upwardly projecting iugs 63 `so it. also will aid in moving carts engaged thereonup the ramp and onto the primary tram 56.

The ends of the side rails 66, 57 at their meeting point must of necessity be .mortised approximately 45 degrees or more so that the ramp-door 33 may be axed in its closed position; when this occurs, slack will result in the chain 70, but if the chain is not too long it will remain engaged upon the two pinions 69, 71 and will be in place when the ramp 33 is again lowered for use.

Water distribution pipes 72 are arranged in ve circuits about the inner periphery of the washing chamber 14, and are provided with .a plurality 4of sprinkler heads 73 through which a tine :spray of water is forced. These heads 73 are distributed in three staggered rings as illustrated and each head is angled appropriately to cause a vortex-like spray of water in the washing chamber 14 with the vortex center horizontal and essentially at the center of the chamber and the water swirling thereabout in a torus-like gure with its plane substantially vertical to effect the greatest washing action from the water. The oor 53 of the washing chamber 14 is sloped to the point 74 which is the lowest point thereon and communicates therefrom by the pipe 75 to the lower sump 31 by action of gravity.

The circulation of gas and water in my invention is best illustrated in the diagram of FIGURE 4. In the preferred form of my invention I use liquiiied propane gas as fuel. This gas is contained under pressure in the storage tank 29 and passes therefrom through the regulatory valve 76 into the pipe 77 from whence it is distributed to the propane motor 39 and the water heating unit 38, where itis consumed.

Water for use in the cart Washer is stored in the two tanks 47 land may be introduced therein through the input pipe 78 controlled by the input valve 79. Water flow from the tank on one side is controlled by the va'lve 80 and on the other side by the valve 81 to provide an individually regulated ow of waterV from the storage :tanks 47. The storage tanks 47 are arranged at a fairly high position in the trailer, and ow of water therefrom through the pipe 99 to the sump 31 is caused by gravity. Water passes `gas motor 39* and the water heater 38.

from the sump El. through the pipe S2, which exits above the bottom .of the sump so that larger debris may settle and accumulate therein, .to the lter d3 by reason of suction caused by the pump de in the line et. The water is thence propelled through lthis pump 44 into the heating coils e5 of the water heater 38, and passes through these heating coils 85 and thence into the line 86 and to the pump i5 where it is further pressurized. The water then may continue in the line do to the distributing pipe 87 which distributes the flow of water substantially equally to the distribution pipes 72 and thence to the spray heads "7-3. The valve S7 is interposed in this line @d to regulate the dow therein.

A second line SS exists from the line Se between the pump d5 and the valve $7 and it is again controlled as to flow by the valve b9. This line dit communicates to the output pipe 5l and its attendant litting 52. lf this external output system be used, the water disbursed thereby is obviously lost and cannot generally be recycled through the machine, soin this .event it is desirable or neces-sary to have la `secondary input. The `secondary input pipe 49 with its attendant iixture Sil passes through the input line and communicates with the line tiri between the lter and the pump to provide an increased supply of water aside from that contained in the storage tanks d?, should this be necessary.

The water in normal operation sprayed from the heads '725 is collected in the drain sbl on the floor 53 and thence communicates by the pipe 75 back to the sump 3l to recycle. lt is thus seen from the circuitry described that water normally sprayed by tae heads 73 within the washing chamber M will be collected and recycled back through the system without any substantial loss from the water that is ultimately collected by the drain Canvas-like fabric or plastic drapes @Il are provided along the sides of the washing chamber l-/l at both its forward and rearward portions and a downwardly extending drape of similar nature is provided extending downwardly from the roof of the washing chamber lli to partiady enclose the lateral openings thereof to prevent an excessive loss of water therefrom in the form of spray or line particles when in use.

operation, my invention is activated by starting the rlfhe valve 3d is opened to allow water contained in the storage tanks @i7 to pass into the sump Elli at a predetermined appropriate rate or llow and this water is forced by the pump ifiinto the water heater thence through the line Se and into the distribution pipe 72 and spray heads '73 from whence it is sprayed into the washing chamber ils/l. A group of nestled carts to be cleaned are rolled upon their wheels to the loading ramp 33 and the bottom portion thereof are engaged with the lugs o3 on the chain 7d. Y rl`his causes the carts coming into engagement with the lugs d3 to progress along the tram on the raising ramp and thence to the primary tram 5d on the washing chamber door 53. The carts are then jostled through the washing chamber Tt-l and emerge at the opposite end, become disengaged from the lug d3 and pass on down the exit ramp having been cleaned in their transit through the chamber le.

Obviously, speeds, pressures and temperatures relating to my invention can be widely varied and remain within its scope and purpose, but l prefer to use water in my device at a temperature of about 140 degrees and a pressure o about 100 pounds. l prefer to spray approximately gallons oi water per minute from the combines spray heads '73 and prefer to have the carts remain within spray chamber between the forward and rearward pairs of drapes 9i, 92 approximately 3 or 4 minutes. By reason oi this pressure, temperature and volume of water and in combination with the jostling of the various carts l have found these conditions sufdcient to clean most carts.` Because of the temperature of the water used and the quantity of heat transmitted to the carts in their passage through the cleaning chamber, l have not found it necessary to provide a drying chamber for the carts but rather prefer to allow them to dry normally in the air or in the store, depending upon weather conditions, after their exit from the cleaning machine. Detergents or other cleaning agents obviously can be added to the washing water as desired.

Another version of my invention is illustrated in HG- URE 6. ln this form of my invention the forward 12 and middle i3 chambers are carried in the stationary body 93, rigidly mounted in the normal bed of a pick up truck 9d. T e rearward washing chamber lll is constructed as a separate unit as illustrated. lts internal structure is the same as that described except, of course, the wall between it and the middle chamber t3 is doubled and the various communicating pipes must be flexible or have flexible joints of types well knownl in the art. Power must be supplied to the driving sprockets 6l of the link chain di) through a flexible shaft or separate gas propelled motor (not shown).

ln this version of my invention the pinion 9o is rigidly carried by the stationary portion of the body 93 and an appropriate dovetail type bracket fits over the ratchet 97 of the moveable back unit 95 to give additional structural rigidity. rl'he mating ratchet 97 enmeshes with the pinion 9d so that when the pinion 96 be turned by means o the wheel 9S, the moveable back unit @d may be raised or lowered at will. Y

rhe function and operation of this species ot' my invention is exactly the same as the trailer mounted Version though oftentimes it may be more desirable to mount the invention on a pick up, as illustrated in this species, so that it is then a self powered unit.

The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of` a detailed and particular nature so that a specific embodiment of it may be set forth as required, but this should not be construed as to prevent various modifications of detail and multiplication and rearrangement of parts which are included within the spirit, essence and scope of my invention as set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

l. in a trailer mounted cart clean-ing device of the nature aforesaid, the combination, comprising, a rectanguiar trailer trarne having rearward paired opposed wheels to aid locomotion and a forward centrally located pivotably mounted leveling wheel, carried by a forwardly projecting hitch, adapted to raise or lower such hitch to `level the trailer frame; a rectangular box-like trailer body mounted upon said frame comprising a forward charnber having doors mounted on each side thereof tor access, a central chamber carrying working mechanism and a rearward enclosed washing chamber having downwardly opening doors on each side thereof, pivotably supported by horizontal hinges at their lowermost portion to allow said doors to be lowered to form ramps for Iingress and egress of carts to and from said chamber; a primary tram transversely carried by the central portion of the door of said washing chamber, communicating with a secondary parallel tram carried by the ingress ramp, adapted to move carts to be cleaned up said ingress ramp and through said 'washing chamber; inwardly projecting ilaps about the inner periphery of the entrance and exit to said washing chamber adapted to prevent the excessive spray of water therefrom; a floor in said washing chamber having alternate grooves and ridges on each side of said central tram adapted to jostle nested carts passing therethrough a recirculating water system comprising two elevated storage tanks, having means of providing water thereto, communicating through a manually adjustable valve to a sump, disposed below the door of said washing chamber so that water may flow by gravity from said chamber thereto, a filter communicating with said sump `and a pump communicating with said iilter adapted to take water from said sump, through said iilter and force it into the heating coils ot a water heating device, a second pump communicating with said heating coils adapted to further pressurize said water and distribute it to a plurality of spray circuits, each containing a plurality of spray heads disposed in three rings about the central internal periphery of aforesaid washing chamber, each of said :spray nozzles being so adjusted as to create a vortex-like distribution of water within said chamber; and means of providing heat to said heating unit and power to said pumping units and said tram.

2. The invention or" claim 1 having a valve controlled input circuit for water between said filter and said first pump and a Valve controlled external outlet circuit cornmunicating between said second pump and the control valve regulating iiow to said washing head circuits.

vertically moveable in relation thereto so that it mayv 5 be raised for movement and lowered substantially to ground level for operation.

Reierenees Gited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/54 Ianecek 134-107 X 2,981,266 4/61 Tamburri 134-123 X 2,997,048 8/ 61 Gertken 134-72 CHARLES A. VJLLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TRAILER MOUNTED CART CLEANING DEVICE OF THE NATURE AFORESAID, THE COMBINATION, COMPRISING, A RECTANGULAR TRAILER FRAME HAVING REARWARD PAIRED OPPOSED WHEELS TO AID LOCOMOTION AND A FORWARD CENTRALLY LOCATED PIVOTABLY MOUNTED LEVELING WHEEL, CARRIED BY A FORWARDLY PROJECTING HITCH, ADAPTED TO RAISE OR LOWER SUCH HITCH TO LEVEL THE TRAILER FRAME; A RECTANGULAR BOX-LIKE TRAILER BODY MOUNTED UPON SAID FRAME COMPRISING A FORWARD CHAMBER HAVING DOORS MOUNTED ON EACH SIDE THEREOF FOR ACCESS, A CENTRAL CHAMBER CARRYING WORKING MECHANISM AND A REARWARD ENCLOSED WASHING CHAMBER HAVING DOWNWARDLY OPENING DOORS ON EACH SIDE THEREOF, PIVOTABLY SUPPORTED BY HORIZONTAL HINGES AT THEIR LOWERMOST PORTION TO ALLOW SAID DOORS TO BE LOWERED TO FORM RAMPS FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS OF CARTS TO AND FROM SAID CHAMBER; A PRIMARY TRAM TRANSVERSELY CARRIED BY THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FLOOR OF SAID WASHING CHAMBER, COMMUNICATING WITH A SECONDARY PARALLEL TRAM CARRIED BY THE INGRESS RAMP, ADAPTED TO MOVE CARTS TO BE CLEANED UP SAID INGRESS RAMP AND THROUGH SAID WASHING CHAMBER; INWARDLY PROJECTING FLAPS ABOUT THE INNER PERIPHERY OF THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO SAID WASHING CHAMBER ADAPTED TO PREVENT THE EXCESSIVE SPRAY OF WATER THEREFROM; A FLOOR IN SAID WASHING CHAMBER HAVING ALTERNATE GROOVES AND RIDGES ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL TRAM ADAPTED TO JOSTLE NESTED CARTS PASSING THERETHROUGH A RECIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM COMPRISING TWO ELEVATED STORAGE TANKS, HAVING MEANS OF PROVIDING WATER THERETO, COMMUNICATING THROUGH A MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE VALVE TO SUMP, DISPOSED BELOW THE FLOOR OF SAID WASHING CHAMBER SO THAT WATER MAY FLOW BY GRAVITY FROM SAID CHAMBER THERETO, A FILTER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUMP AND A PUMP COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FILTER ADAPTED TO TAKE WATER FROM SAID SUMP, THROUGH SAID FILTER AND FORCE IT INTO THE HEATING COILS OF A WATER HEATING DEVICE, A SECOND PUMP COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HEATING COILS ADAPTED TO FURTHER PRESSURIZE SAID WATER AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO A PLURALITY OF SPRAY CIRCUITS, EACH CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF SPRAY HEADS DISPOSED IN THREE RINGS ABOUT THE CENTRAL INTERNAL PERIPHERY OF AFORESAID WASHING CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID SPRAY NOZZLES BEING SO ADJUSTED AS TO CREATE A VORTEX-LIKE DISTRIBUTION OF WATER WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; AND MEANS OF PROVIDING HEAT TO SAID HEATING UNIT AND POWER TO SAID PUMPING UNITS AND SAID TRAM. 